


Dangan Ronpa IV

by Pendulumwriter



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: (warnings are bc this is danganronpa.... duh), Gen, I'll add tags as this all goes on, hey hey yall guess who's making new fanfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-15 03:21:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14782695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pendulumwriter/pseuds/Pendulumwriter
Summary: The newest killing game is about to begin!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Satine89](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Satine89/gifts).



> Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Danganronpa (kodaka hire me pls); Also, all the characters are going to be using their given names instead of family names for sake of ease.

**“What-?”**

I jolt awake in my bed. Rain is falling outside my window, quietly dripping off the roof and landing in puddles somewhere far below. The world is quiet, just like always. I start to breathe again and close my eyes.

Lightning flashes.

I look just in time to see the world outside light up – the purple sky, the silhouettes of trees. All familiar things, except _that._

I jump to my feet and run to the window, but I don’t dare open it as I scan the trees, looking in vain into the darkness. Thunder rolls again, and I count the seconds to wait for the lightning strike. **_One. Two. Three. Four-_**

There’s nothing there. Only the familiar shadows of the trees and the grounds mixing into one.

 ** _It must have just been my imagination._** I can’t help but roll my eyes at my own silliness as I crawl back into bed. **_Nobody’s ever seen a bear this far out anyway._**


	2. DRIV Prologue pt. 2 - Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our protagonist introduces us to the setting and the cast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey yall!!! Here's the second part!!! I hope you all enjoy! The characters go firstname-lastname and address each other by their first names for ease. I'd love feedback!!! <3

Every day is just the same here. I can’t exactly say that’s a bad thing, though. There’s a lot of comfort in familiarity. When you know everyone and everything around you just as much as you know yourself, you can be confident in the way they’ll react to things.

**“HEEEEEEEEEEY YOUUUUU GUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUYS!!!!!!”**

…Yet somehow, you can still be startled very easily when someone is running through the hallway shouting and banging on pots and pans. Even if they do this at least once a month.

**“HOUSE MEETING IN 30 MINUTES!!!”**

Sometimes, though, the familiarity can be unbearable. We’re in a place called the Ultimate Harbor of Hope – UHH, for short. It’s the only safe haven left in the world. Despair took over a long time ago, before some of us were even born. As far as we know, we could even be the only humans left, period. I don’t even know why we have meetings. Nothing ever goes on around here. Unless…

…Maybe the meeting is going to be important. I change into my normal clothes, and head out into the hallway.

This time of day, the dorms are crawling with a whole lot of sleepy people. I guess you could say I’m one of them, but my job doesn’t really allow for me to be tired much. As the Ultimate Medic, I have to be prepared to jump up and deal with anything on a moment’s notice! Which admittedly happens to usually be someone throwing up at 2 AM, but still. A person in need is a person indeed, right?

Oh, yeah. It feels weird to introduce myself like this- but I’m Masami Kimura, the Ultimate Medic! It even feels weird to say I’m an ‘Ultimate’ – those titles haven’t been used in ages, but someone’s always going to be better than everyone else at something, I guess.

**“Hey, Masami.”**

Or… almost everyone. Ryuunosuke Yamazaki is the Ultimate…. Something. He’s not really the Ultimate anything. He just picks up where other people leave off, so… maybe something like the Ultimate Jack-of-All-Trades, but that would imply he’s good at them all. He can’t cook to save his life.

**“Hey, Ryuunosuke! Any idea what the meeting is about?”**

**“No idea. If I had to make a bet, though… I’m going to guess it has to do with the storm last night.”**

Oh, that’s right… I’d nearly forgotten. So I hadn’t just dreamed it. But he continues on- **“Did you hear it? We don’t really ever get thunder here, so it really freaked me out…”**

**“Yeah, me too.” _Should I tell him about what I saw? …No, he’ll just think I’m crazy._**

**“Anyway,”** he diverted, picking at his ear, **“I should probably get down there. See you soon, Masami.”**

As he walked away, I couldn’t help but wonder – did anyone else hear or see anything last night? The only other person in the room looks like they’ve just woken up from a three-year nap.

 **“Hey, Ayane, sleep well last night?”** Ayane Oshiro, the Ultimate Tailor, is wearing the cutest-looking PJs as always. She’s as skillful with a needle and fabric as I am with… well, needle and skin, I guess…?

**“Huh? Oh, yeah… I dreamed about running away to a beautiful castle with a beautiful princess and we ate as much cheesecake as we could find…”**

…Is she even really awake? She’s giggling like crazy. **“That sounds… nice. Did you sleep the whole night, then?”**

**“Hm? Why are you taking such an interest in my sleeping habits, Masami? If you really wanted to crawl into bed with me, you could just ask…”**

**“…Th-that’s not it at all!”**

**“You’re so cute when you lie! But Nana already asked about the storm. I didn’t hear anything.”**

**“Oh? Did Nana hear something?”** Nana Watanabe is the Ultimate Gardener and also the Ultimate Best Friend. In my heart. ****

**“I dunno…”** She yawns, not even trying to cover her mouth. **“Why don’t you ask her? I’ve got a date to get back to…”**

…Well, at least she’s going in the direction of the meeting, I guess. But what about Nana? If she was asking about the storm, she must have been up. If she saw what I saw… I’ll have to ask her.

Everyone’s thinned out of the hallway by now. I hear voices from the landing and look down into the main room – but she’s not there with the other people. Someone who is there, coming up the stairs, is our Ultimate Builder, Yamato Sasaki. He’s as built as his craft, and takes his unofficial role as everyone’s helper very seriously. He smiles brightly and waves.

**“Masami! Are you gonna come down and join the meeting?”**

**“Of course! I’m just trying to find Nana first – have you seen her?”**

**“Nana? Not yet. Maybe she’s upstairs? I heard voices and Noriko asked me to go up and make sure that everyone is coming! It’s very important that we do, because she’ll be very _very_ upset if anyone misses it. …Again.” ** Noriko Abe is the Ultimate Leader, but honestly… she doesn’t really get upset. The fear of it is what keeps us on our toes.

**“Well, we have time… but it’s probably a good idea to get ready anyway. I’ll go look up there for her and send everyone down, okay? We’ll be there.”**

**“Thank you, Masami! You’re trustworthy, so I know I won’t have anything to worry about!”**

He’s a big sweetie, really. I watch him go back downstairs before I try to listen in for the voices myself and go further up the next flight. I doubt anyone is in the art hall or the dance hall… if I had to make a guess, they’re probably just through this door, and it’s probably exactly who I think.

The library is massive, towers of books lining the circular walls and on display in shelves throughout the room. There are two tall slide ladders that can click together at the end of each track on the wall, and a cozy reading nook in the center. I hear distant conversation and some giggling – yep. It’s them alright.

**“You guys know there’s a meeting, right?”**

All sound stops for a brief second before the two lovebirds slide into view from shelves at opposite directions. Shiori Nakano – the Ultimate Librarian who knows more about books and the decimal system and whatever than I do about almost anything – and Takuya Inoue, the Ultimate Machinist who probably knows more about Shiori than he knows about electricity at this point. I actually feel bad for how embarrassed and guarded they both look.

**“There is? Right now?”**

**“Well, in a few minutes… you didn’t hear? How long have you two been up here?”** Their awkward silence should tell me all I need to know, but Takuya speaks up anyway.

**“Shiori had a nightmare, so…”**

**“Shut up, you’re the one who’s afraid of storms!“** Shiori’s face was beat red even when they denied it. Takuya, meanwhile, was way too amused.

**“You came to me at two AM and asked if the storm was going to short out the power.”**

**“You freaked out and started asking about books on lightning!”**

**“Yeah, to help _you_ calm down!”**

**“As if!”**

**“-Anyway, guys,”** I cut in, **“Have either of you seen Nana? Apparently she was asking Ayane about the storm.”**

 **“…I don’t think I did.”** Shiori frowned, pressing a finger to their chin, **“I was sitting in the main room for a while... Maybe Hachiro would know? He was already up. So was Minato.”**

 **“And I saw Chinatsu in the kitchen when I went down for cocoa like an hour ago.”** Takuya shrugged.

 **“Thanks. I’ll have to go find them. See you later!”** Well, at least I have a lead! Sort of. At the bare minimum, I have other people to talk to.

I head down the back set of stairs. There’s an argument going on, but that’s normal – what is definitely not normal, though, is the sudden and unmistakable clang of a skillet hitting the wall. I run down the rest of the stairs and burst into the kitchen as quickly as I can –

**“HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO _NOT LEAVE FISH GUTS ON THE COUNTER?!!_ ”**

**“I dodged the last one, I think I can – _ha!”_** Oh great. These two are at it again. Chinatsu Minami (the Ultimate Baker) throws a small wooden cutting board at Minato Fujita (the Ultimate Hunter), who dodges it easily. To be fair, she doesn’t have a good throw. To be even fairer, he’s been told this way more than once.

**“We _just_ got the blood stains out from last time!”**

**“Where else would they go? We’re going to cook them! Eventually!”**

**“Anywhere but the counter I make breakfast on every day!”**

**“Why can’t we have fish blood pancakes? That’s a delicacy, you know!”**

…Yeah, I’m not getting involved in this. Someone else is bound to have seen Nana, right? I sneak past those two and out the doors to the walkway of stone platforms. The chilly air whistles through the hedges lining the path and ripples the water that runs over the pebbles. It’s like I can still feel the electricity in the air. I make sure to walk quickly, getting only as far as the fountains before a figure steps out onto the path.

But uh, they definitely aren’t human.

Even though I know horses aren’t anything special, it never stops being startling when one just randomly appears in front of you. At least it’s quickly followed by Ume Hamasaki, the Ultimate Groomsman. Honestly, though, that’s really not much of an improvement. She frowns a little bit, and grabs at the horse’s neck to get it to stop. **“No, Zubon, you have to stay _on_ the platforms… oh, we’ll try again…”**

**“Ume! Have you seen Nana around?”**

**“Wha-?!! Oh, Masami! You startled me!”** …You were looking right at me… **“No, I haven’t… I’ve been with Zubon all day… the storm really spooked all the horses... and the cattle… and the sheep…”** She sighed again. **“That mean storm! None of my babies got any sleep last night! I’m such a terrible animal husband! How will you ever forgive me, Zubon?”** She burst into tears, pressing her face into his mane.

**“Uh… Ume…? Did you get any sleep last night?”**

**“Huh? No… I was up all night making sure the animals were okay… why do you ask?”**

**“…You should really go try. You can even sleep in the infirmary, it’s quieter than the dorms.”** I should know. I’ve fallen asleep in there more than once.

**“Thanks, Masami... but I really need to get to the meeting soon… I don’t want to be yelled at again. Come on, Zubon, let’s try again! I don’t want your hooves to get the stables wet…”**

Right. The meeting. Ugh, Nana, where _are_ you? There’s only one place she can be, I guess.

The gardens lie outside of the hedges and water pond, in the same clearing as the stables but in the opposite direction. I head there, only pausing to glance up to the clock tower that stands past the woods. Ah, it’s really not even seven yet? I guess that makes sense, since it hasn’t gone off, but this meeting… that’s strange. It must really be urgent.

Hachiro Miyamoto – the Ultimate Caretaker who, to be fair, really only keeps the heat on and oils the hinges when they get squeaky and literally nothing else – shambles towards me with a half-hearted wave before shoving his hands back into his pockets. **“Hey, Doc. Looking for Nana, right?”**

**“You got me. Do you know where she is?”**

**“Where else? She’s in the greenhouse. Did somebody get sick? You aren’t usually up this early unless there’s a tummy that needs taken care of.”**

**“No – there’s a meeting. I didn’t even realize what time it was.”**

**“Nice of them to tell me. Oh well, now I know.”**

**“I’m going to tell Nana too. Wait – I heard you were up early last night. Did you by any chance, uh…”** I falter there. **“Watch the storm?”**

 **“Do I look like I sleep?”** He yawns wide. **“I watched it here and there. Didn’t go out in it though, I didn’t want to get soaked. I don’t know how those two did it.”**

**“Nana was out at night too?”**

**“Yeah. You surprised? She’s always up, Doc.”**

That’s weird. How did I never know before? I frown, but take my leave. **“Thanks, Hachiro. We’ll be there for the meeting!”**

The gardens are beautiful this time of year. We don’t grow much flowers, but what we do grow are blooming in little rows leading up to the carrots and potatoes and finally to the greenhouse. I don’t know why, but I hesitate at the door –

And it smacks me right in the face. I reel back, quickly feeling my nose to make sure it’s not broken.

 **“Oh, no – Masami!”** Nana runs out, quickly shutting the door again. **“I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you were there! Are you okay?”**

 **“Yeah- yeah! No harm done.”** I laugh, quickly rubbing. It smarts, but it’s not bleeding or anything. **“I’ve been looking all over the place for you!”**

 **“Oh, yeah, for the meeting, right?”** Nana’s still frowning with worry, and pulls out a cloth from her overall pocket in case. **“That’s no reason to break your nose, I was coming.”**

 **“It’s not broken,”** I assure with a small laugh. **“And yeah, the meeting is soon, but… I actually wanted to talk to you. Privately.”**

 **“Privately? …Okay. Come in.”** She quickly re-opens the door and leads me inside, and we sit by a rack of sprouts on a big wooden table. **“What’s wrong?”**

**“I think I saw something during the storm.”**

**“…Lightning?”**

**“Worse. A weird… bear thing?”**

**“That’s impossible.”** Her face visibly sours. **“There’s no bears _left._ Especially not out here, don’t you think we would have seen one by now?”**

**“I guess, but… I don’t know. It seemed really… I don’t know. Familiar?”**

**“…And you’ve lost me.”**

**“I know. It sounds crazy, doesn’t it?”** Ugh, I shouldn’t have said anything.

**“No – I didn’t say that. I just meant that I don’t understand. Maybe you can-”**

A loud knock on the door broke us from our conversation. Before we had time to react, the door was wrenched open, and Susumu Honda, the Ultimate Teacher who acts like he’s 70, bursts in.

 **“The meeting is in 5 minutes,”** He reminds us. **“Can you two stop chatting and get there already? We’re all waiting on you and we want to get this over with.”**

**“Sorry – are we really the only ones left?”**

**“Unfortunately.”** His glare is almost unmatched. We quickly follow him out of the greenhouse and back down the path to the house.

Everyone is sitting pretty calmly in a circle, even Chinatsu and Minato who look like they’re both coated in what I hope is _not_ various food products, but I know better. Noriko is standing serenely at one end, and sitting next to her are the Ultimate Explorer Izumi Kita and the Ultimate Entertainer Koharu Tachibana, who’s still holding the pots and pans she used earlier and looking very pleased with herself.

 **“Alright, everyone,”** Noriko announces as soon as we sit down with everyone else, **“I’m going to call this meeting into session now. The storm from last night was very alarming for us all. As some of you may have guessed, we have some important matters to address as quickly as possible.”** Noriko looks to us and makes sure we’ve sat down before she continues. She looks… worried.

 **“I’m _really_ hoping this is going to be a group therapy session like they have on some of our tapes!” ** Koharu cheered, practically bursting out of her seat. **“Hey, you guys, check this out, wanna see me cry? I’ve been working on perfecting my fake tears, here goes-”**

 **“Thank you, Koharu,”** Noriko chides gently, **“But this is way more serious than that. We have reason to believe that UHH may be in danger.”**

**“What? H-how is that possible?”**

**“This is a joke, right? It has to be a joke.”**

**“How do you know?”** I asked at the end. I didn’t realize how tightly my lips were pressing together until then, or how little my brain seemed to be working. **“Did we see anything?”**

 **“I laid trip wire in the woods,”** Izumi spoke up. **“It’s been there for years. The animals always avoid it, but this morning it was set off.”**

**“Yeah, but… couldn’t it have just been the storm?”**

**“I thought so too.”** Izumi’s face grew much more serious. **“That’s why I traveled out there myself. The wire was gone and… you all need to see this.”**

She pulled a picture from her pocket, and showed it to us all. At first glance it didn’t seem too bad – it was just tree bark, after all. But once I looked deeper, something in me lurched forward uneasily. Carved into the bark was a face that looked like a teddy bear, half-grinning up at us. I locked eyes with Nana, who simply whispered, **“You saw…?”**

**“We do not know anything about this symbol. We don’t know if whoever carved it is our friend or our enemy… but we need to take precautions. We’ll need to stay together, and -”**

Noriko was cut off by the chime of the clock. Noriko looked up from our group to stare at the tower, and all of our eyes followed hers.

Standing at the center of the clock’s face, arms crossed, was a grinning black and white bear. One of its eyes was glowing red and staring straight back at us.


End file.
